I see that Lib Dem Group Leader Alan Blair is blaming the Labour-led coalition for state of our roads, telling us that the coalition voted against Lib Dem plans to spend extra money on roads in the last 3 budget meetings.
What Alan conveniently forgets to mention is that in advance of each of these meetings he refused an offer of discussions with the Administration, preferring instead to wait to the day of the meetings to reveal his proposals, full in the knowledge that they would be voted down in favour of the Administration's own proposals.
There is no doubting that our roads are in a very poor state - not helped by the extreme weather in the past two Winters - and require huge investment to bring them up to standard.
They of course did not get into this state in the last 4 years. The underinvestment goes back a long number of years, including the 4 years that Alan was Leader of the Council. I don't remember the Lib Dems spending tens of millions of pounds on our roads, which is what it would take, when they were in power between 2003 and 2007.
Back in opposition Alan sees an opportunity have a go at the Administration.
The reality is that there will never be enough money to do everything we want. As politicians we have to decide what our priorities are.
Alan would like better roads to drive his 'Jag' along while I would like better schools for my kids to attend.
I make no apologies for making investment in new and improved schools a higher priority than investment in roads.
That having been said, at a time when the Lib Dem-Tory Coalition in Westminster is cutting public spending, with a knock on reduction in the funding the Council receives from the Scottish Government, we have maintained our planned level of investment in roads and lighting - £5.7m over the next 3 years.
The Lib Dems did propose spending an additional £1.4m from the Council's reserves on roads and lighting in the coming financial year, 2011/12. The Administration decided instead to spend this money on the regeneration of Port Glasgow Town Centre and the renewal of the Clune Park area.
Again a matter of priorities.
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Alan Blair,charlie Mccallum,Chris Osborne,no wonder the centre of Greenock is in such a state.
ReplyDeleteI have been to Broomhill TARA and Cowdeknonwes and holefarm community council meetings were Mr Alan Blair has been in attendance. All he ever talks about is the changes to the West station,leaves blocking drains and flooding. I have on many occasion tried to discuss social issues,housing concerns,crime,drugs,drink. But allhe wants to talk about is roads bloody roads.I hope this waste of space is shown the door by voters, as he plays to a gallery of pensioners who think they are in the presence of greatness with his little stories about this and that but really about nothing.
ReplyDeleteGod I am bloody sick and tired of him and his likes.